this one's for you
by birdbox
Summary: "Was that the best you could do back there, Swan?" he asks only loud enough for her to hear it. This is comfortable, easy even- flirting with her, like always, comes naturally. It's everything else he can't do. Post-kiss oneshot, spoilers, rated for language.


**These type of fics are going to be ten a penny by the time the episode has aired but I wanted to post it before canon ruins my own headcanon for what happens after the kiss (and I couldn't get the dialogue in this fic out of my head) Enjoy and tell me what you think!**

Oh, he's surely fucked now.

Hook gets the firewood like she asked in a daze, and it's been much longer than five minutes when he finally makes it back into the clearing where they set up camp. She's sitting with her parents near the fire, talking quietly with them. When the sound of the twigs snapping under his boots announce his entrance, Emma looks up. Their eyes only meet for a second before Emma's flick back down to her lap but he sees her lips purse to hide a smile. He'll take what he can get.

One by one, as night draws in, the members of the group starting with Regina head to their improvised beds. Emma is quite obviously being careful to leave when her parents do, but even when they do she's far enough behind them that he could say something to her. There's only a small amount of indecision in his mind on that front.

"Was that the best you could do back there, Swan?" he asks only loud enough for her to hear it. This is comfortable, easy even- flirting with her, like always, comes naturally. It's everything else he can't do. "Ah, well. You gave it your best shot and that's the main thing."

Emma stops in her tracks, her back stiffening, ostensibly deciding whether or not to respond. Hook will admit (to himself at least) that bringing it up with her so soon is a bit of a risk; she may yet tell him to never talk about it again. So he's testing the waters, so to speak. And for better or worse, they're somewhat stuck with each other while they're here, they can't remain in a post-kissing stasis forever. Practicality alone demands they break the tension, and he guesses Emma won't want to be one who does it.

Finally turning on her heel with her arms folded, Emma's expression is a mixture of deep amusement, annoyance and defiance. If nothing else, tonight has demonstrated quite clearly that he's not the only one who enjoys a challenge. She looks behind her quickly seemingly to check her parents were no longer in earshot, then walks back towards him with purpose.

Hook grins, cocking his head—part of him hopes she'll kiss him again but he knows her well enough not to expect anything. Mostly, it's just nice to see her a little carefree and not going out of her mind with worry for her son, at least for a little while. Not that he'd want to undermine the mission to find Henry (he hopes the fact he's here at all indicates that) nevertheless he'll help her where he can to ease the burden. It's not quite what he had in mind when he offered _his ship and his services, _but if it's what she needs then it's what he'll give.

Emma stops about a foot away from him by the fire he's about to put out. He wishes she could see herself as he sees her now, golden hair and pale skin lit up by the flames so she looks ethereal and divine. A goddess unto herself. Hook feels the rush of blood through his veins again and welcomes it. Being around her has always kept him on his toes, ever since she saw through his blacksmith disguise all that time ago, but this right now is just the sheer joy of being alive and that's something he hasn't felt in a long time. Too long, maybe.

"Please," she murmurs leaning in, and it sounds so much like before his heart jumps. "That was the best damn kiss of your life and you know it."

He doesn't respond, mostly because he's not sure he can actually argue with her on that (although that opens up another can of worms regarding Milah that he doesn't even want to think about right now) but partly because he likes watching her expression change as she tries to decipher his widening grin and raised eyebrows. Eventually she sighs and gives up, still smiling. She walks away and he feels a loss but he's still smiling anyway.

When she's about ten feet away, Emma turns unexpectedly and points at him, freezing him where he stands. "I rocked your world, pirate!"

Now that's something he really can't argue with her on. Hook smirks and remains silent. She huffs out a disbelieving laugh at something going on in her head and turns back again for the last time, walking off.

"That you did, Swan," Hook murmurs to himself, cursing himself inside his head for being such a fool for her. Emotional weakness for someone may well be the last thing he needs when facing Pan again but where Emma's concerned, he's not sure it could have been helped anyway. This has been coming since the damn beanstalk.

Oh, he's _surely_ fucked now.


End file.
